HotelTonight Gets Inspirational With Instagram Advertising Campaign

Dennis Schaal, Skift

- Aug 13, 2014 12:00 pm

Skift Take

Is HotelTonight’s Instagram advertising campaign a baby step toward a TV blitz? Maybe the company isn’t at that point yet, but there will be some lessons in what kind of return on investment HotelTonight gets in teaming with Instagram for the campaign.

Tonight I am Ace. From basement flood to hole in one, let’s escape with HotelTonight #tonightiam

Tonight I am Starlet. From painting the house to painting the town, let’s escape with HotelTonight #tonightiam

Tonight I am Surfer. From the subway to the sea, let’s escape with HotelTonight #tonightiam

Tonight I am Queen of the Pool. From the cubicle farm to relaxing poolside, let’s escape with HotelTonight #tonightiam

Tonight I am King of the Spa. From oil changes to mud baths, let’s escape with HotelTonight #tonightiam

Photographer John Keatley behind the scenes at the HotelTonight shoot for its Instagram campaign.

Makeup being applied in the HotelTonight photoshoot for its Instagram campaign.

HotelTonight has been mostly about spur-of-the moment hotel bookings, perhaps when a customer is out on the town and needs a place to stay, but today the tonight-only hotel app began to get more inspirational with what it calls its first national advertising campaign, and it’s being executed on Instagram.

Shot by photographer John Keatley in partnership with creative folks at Instagram, the “Tonight I Am” social media campaign and photo setups (see gallery above) portray a young demographic being transformed and shaken out of mundane activities such as being stuck at the Department of Motor Vehicles or painting a house into becoming a rock star/VIP or a starlet, respectively, all presumably by booking a room through the HotelTonight app.

“Tonight I am Rock Star. From DMV to VIP, let’s escape with HotelTonight #tonightiam,” goes one of the messages.

“We believe the joys of spontaneity are for everyone and we’re so excited to be bringing that message to even more people across the world, not only with these photos, but also with the HotelTonight app,” a spokesperson says.

HotelTonight has plenty of money in the bank, given its $81 million in total funding, but the Instagram campaign might be considered a cost-prudent alternative to a national TV advertising campaign.

It remains to be seen, though, what kind of bang/return on investment HotelTonight gets out of this exercise.

HotelTonight states it was hand-selected by Instagram for the advertising campaign and joins brands such as Starwood, Taco Bell, Audi, Michael Kors and AdAge 100 as early advertisers on Instagram.

Photo Credit: HotelTonight unveiled what it calls its first national advertising campaign, on Instagram. "Tonight I am Rock Star. From DMV to VIP, let’s escape with HotelTonight #tonightiam" HotelTonight